Growing up in Athens and attending school in the Clarke County School District, a Title I district, has shaped both my educational pursuit and my perspective on success. Being in an environment where many students, including myself, qualified for free and reduced lunch made me more aware of how financial challenges can affect opportunities. I’ve seen students struggle with not having adequate transportation to and from school or not having the support from family to help them succeed in school. Seeing this has pushed me to take my education seriously and make the most of every opportunity available to me. I come from a single mother with three children. She's given her life and time in order to give us a life she didn't have. Although my dad was in the picture as I was younger, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which put a strain on our relationship. Because of this, I have worked hard to maintain a 4.0 GPA while taking on leadership roles such as serving as JV Cheer Captain and a HOSA Ambassador and taking advantage of every opportunity available to me. These experiences have helped me develop discipline, responsibility, and a strong work ethic along with time management. I understand that in order to be successful, you have to have consistency and effort, especially in environments where opportunities may not always come easily, so I am committed to push myself whether that be academically or personally. Growing up in this environment has also changed how I see economic challenges. Seeing how limited resources can affect opportunities has taught me to work hard and take advantage of what is available to me. Instead of letting limits hold me back, I’ve used them as motivation to stay focused on my goals and continue pushing myself to do better. In the future, I plan to major in biology and become an orthodontist. My interest in Orthodontics came from my friend. She was always so insecure about her smile. Never wanting to show it in pictures, and always covering it when she laughed. When she got those braces put on her, her life changed. She smiled in every picture, when she laughed, she showed all 32 teeth. I want to help people like her gain confidence, even at an affordable price. Confidence should be available to all, and I want to be able to demonstrate that. I now understand confidence plays a major role in how you interact with the people around you and what you think about yourself, that’s the kind of impact I want to make within my career. I want to build a career that not only provides stability for myself but allows me to give back to my community and help others improve health as well. My experiences have taught me that where you begin doesn’t determine where you’ll go. I am committed to use my education to build a better future for myself and pour back into communities like mine, ones that shaped me into the person I am today.

Growing up in Athens and attending school in the Clarke County School District, a Title I district, has shaped both my educational pursuit and my perspective on success. Being in an environment where many students, including myself, qualified for free and reduced lunch made me more aware of how financial challenges can affect opportunities. I’ve seen students struggle with not having adequate transportation to and from school or not having the support from family to help them succeed in school. Seeing this has pushed me to take my education seriously and make the most of every opportunity available to me. Because of this, I have worked hard to maintain a 4.0 GPA while taking on leadership roles such as serving as JV Cheer Captain and a HOSA Ambassador and taking advantage of every opportunity available to me. These experiences have helped me develop discipline, responsibility, and a strong work ethic along with time management. I understand that in order to be successful, you have to have consistency and effort, especially in environments where opportunities may not always come easily, so I am committed to push myself whether that be academically or personally. Growing up in this environment has also changed how I see economic challenges. Seeing how limited resources can affect opportunities has taught me to work hard and take advantage of what is available to me. Instead of letting limits hold me back, I’ve used them as motivation to stay focused on my goals and continue pushing myself to do better. In the future, I plan to major in biology and become an orthodontist. My interest in Orthodontics came from my friend. She was always so insecure about her smile. Never wanting to show it in pictures, and always covering it when she laughed. When she got those braces put on her, her life changed. She smiled in every picture, when she laughed, she showed all 32 teeth. I want to help people like her gain confidence, even at an affordable price. Confidence should be available to all, and I want to be able to demonstrate that. I now understand confidence plays a major role in how you interact with the people around you and what you think about yourself, that’s the kind of impact I want to make within my career. I want to build a career that not only provides stability for myself but allows me to give back to my community and help others improve health as well. My experiences have taught me that where you begin doesn’t determine where you’ll go. I am committed to use my education to build a better future for myself and pour back into communities like mine, ones that shaped me into the person I am today.